The Dare
by Terrapin44
Summary: Takes place after JFA, case 3. Franziska von Karma is in the middle of working on New Year's Day when she receives an unexpected and unwanted visitor...


**January 1, 10:17 AM**

**Prosecutor's Office**

**Floor 15, Room 17**

Franziska von Karma was seated at her desk in a mad frenzy hastily completing reports and scribbling on papers as she had been doing for the past three hours. The sound of pen scratching against paper was the only sound in the room. Her door was closed but it remained unlocked for any visitors who wished to see her for any reason, not that anyone would.

Franziska certainly had a lot on her mind: she had just lost the Max Galactica trial to that same bumbling defense attorney the day previous. Her trial record had suffered for the second time, reminding her that she no longer had what it took to be a von Karma. She tried hard to deny it, (after all, she had refused to acknowledge the legitimacy of the Maya Fey trial), but deep down, she knew that with her first defeat, she was no longer 'perfect' in her father's eyes, were he still alive. The loss of this second case was like adding insult to injury.

In light of all this, it was understandable why she would be a little peeved. Her latest defeat, much like the first one, had been all over the newspapers, the news channels on TV and possibly the Internet as well. Yet more humiliation. Anyone who had seen this would know to stay as far away from the young prosecutor's office as possible. They all knew that if they crossed the threshold between hallway and office, she would be out for blood.

The prosecutor pushed these thoughts out of her mind and continued her paperwork. She hadn't taken on any new cases yet and was determined to finish up early so she could take the night off just…to think. It was at this moment that there was a knock at the door. She sighed. She was not in the mood for visitors but it couldn't be helped.

"Enter," she said icily, without looking up. The door creaked open and the sound of footsteps was heard…and then nothing. For a good thirty seconds, the sound of pen against paper was the only thing one could hear. After a few more seconds, her hand came to a halt. She seemed to be irritated and slightly puzzled. Why hadn't the new visitor spoken yet? Why was this person wasting her time? Still without looking up, she spoke again, impatience apparent in her voice.

"Well, what is it? Why do you stand there saying nothing, fool?"

It was then that her visitor spoke. He sounded…nervous, and anxious.

"H…hello, Miss von Karma. Happy New Year."

She recognized the speaker immediately. She stood up quickly, standing tall and slightly vulnerable, her hand at her whip, ready to strike at any moment. Her eyes narrowed into slits as she looked at her visitor with unbridled rage. She bared her teeth and started breathing heavily, her pulse quickening, as if the wind had been knocked out of her. Her shock at her visitor's identity was obvious.

"YOU! What are YOU doing here!"

She glared fiercely at her visitor soon-to-be victim, noting his features and mannerisms: his blue suit and magenta colored tie, his spiky haircut and the way he seemed to shrink away with every word she said. He was rubbing the back of his head with his left hand and looking away form her, a sheepish look on his face. It was a look that seemed to say he both didn't know why he was here, and really did not want to be here, especially considering what had happened the day previous.

"Mr. Phoenix Wright! Give me one good reason why I should not kill you where you stand! How do you have the gall to stand before me after what we've been through!"

"Listen, I know you're busy, but I just wanted to say something. It'll be quick and painless…well, for you, anyway," said Phoenix, speaking with a courage he could not muster. He looked like he wanted to crawl into a hole. Franziska looked curious for a moment, but kept her composure.

"You want to 'say something'? What could you possibly want to say to me, fool? Haven't you said enough already?"

Phoenix grinned nervously and continued, forcing himself not to listen. "Well actually, if Lady Luck had been on my side for once, it would've been Maya standing here and not me. But, we flipped a coin, and well, I lost, so…"

"Your assistant…? What…?" Franziska was taken slightly aback. This conversation was not going the way she expected it to go. What in the world was this fool preparing himself to say?

Phoenix had his eyes shut. As soon as he'd said what he was going to say, he knew he was going to get it and get it bad. Steeling his nerves, he opened his mouth.

"Y'see, this started off as a bad joke. A kind of a truth or dare sort of thing. Anyway, here goes: Franziska," he took a deep breath and then,

**"Perfection is in the eye of the beholder."**

There was a long and horrible moment of silence. Franziska's eyes were wide as she registered every word that Phoenix had said to her. She looked him incredulously. How could this man, this fool, have the courage and the gall, to come into her office and say what would otherwise be the biggest and most offensive of insults in the von Karma household? What in the world was going through his head?

She paused as she considered this. It was no question that perfection depended upon the person viewing it. Perfection, for the most part, was something that was simply not possible. Anyone who thought they were 'perfect' would be seen as smug and arrogant. Certainly, Franziska had heard of this theory among the fools of the world. But if there was one thing she learned in the von Karma household, it was that a von Karma was perfect in any and every sense of the word. This was her viewpoint growing up. It was always to be taken to heart and NEVER to be questioned. To even dare to suggest differently would be nothing short of blasphemy. It would earn her a beating from her father, to say the least.

And now, here was Phoenix Wright, the semi-famous defense attorney, standing in front of her, mouthing that same blasphemy that she herself had foolishly implied once. She had implied it, but never actually said it aloud. Nevertheless, her punishment had been assured back then, and it was clear that Phoenix had sealed his fate with his words. Her eyes narrowed as she grabbed her whip. But before she raised it, she had something that needed saying.

"Mr. Phoenix Wright. You are either really foolish or really brave for the words you have just uttered. Probably both."

If one were to listen closely, there was a hint of wonder in her voice. She truly did not think that this man had the guts to do what he just did. However, though he halfway heard this, none of this mattered to Phoenix. He knew what was coming, and had no choice but to allow her at least that much. Such was the price of losing such a foolish dare. He screwed his eyes shut tightly.

"I don't even know why I agreed to this. It was a childish game of truth or dare. I should have known something like this would happen. I just wasn't thinking right at all. …I beg of you, please make this quick," he said, feeling hopeless.

"We'll see." Franziska had muttered this under her breath, just enough so Phoenix could not hear. As much as she tried to hide it, however, she had mixed feelings about this encounter. Phoenix had just now dared to say something that Franziska herself had always wanted to say, but never could. Here was a man with more courage than the young prosecutor gave him credit for. It was truly awe inspiring. For one short moment she almost had second thoughts about whipping him. Alas, it was not to be. Mr. Phoenix Wright had verbally insulted the von Karma name, and now he would pay for it.

Regaining her icy composure, she raised her whip above her head without another thought. The lawyer's punishment was about to begin. The sounds of whip cracks and the cries of pain echoed long and loud through the quiet hallway. Happy New Year, indeed.


End file.
